Luka Doncic Commits $5M to Help 77 Young Athletes After $165M Lakers Contract
Luka Dončić celebrated his three-year, $165 million extension with the Los Angeles Lakers by committing $5 million toward "77 young athletes around the world."
"Basketball gave me everything, and I’m lucky to be able to give back and help the next generation," Dončić wrote in a Saturday post on X.
Dončić, had a player option for the 2026-27 on his previous contract, is now set to remain in Los Angeles through the 2027-28 season.
The contract also features a player option for 2028, his agent Bill Duffy told ESPN's Shams Charania.
The $5 million will be distributed through Dončić's charitable organization, the Luka Dončić Foundation, according to a Lakers press release.
The Lakers described the donation as a "new program will support deserving athletes ages 12 to 15 by working to help remove the financial barriers that all too often prevent these young athletes from pursuing their dreams."
The Luka Dončić Foundation was officially launched in December 2024. Dončić said in a statement at the time he founded the organization because he wanted "young people around the world to have the same chances to experience" the joy he felt while playing basketball.
Saturday's announcement isn't the first time the foundation has celebrated a milestone in Dončić's Lakers career with a donation.
Shortly after Dončić was traded to the Lakers in February by the Dallas Mavericks, the foundation announced a $500,000 donation to efforts toward recovery from wildfires, including the Palisades Fire that devastated the area in January.
Dončić averaged 28.2 points, 7.5 assists and 8.1 rebounds per game through 28 games with the Lakers after the trade last season. With LeBron James on track to enter free agency next spring, Dončić is now set to serve as the face of the Lakers' franchise going forward.
